The Key To A Commander's Heart
by Samthecrushe
Summary: Can Ashley Williams win Commander Shepard's feelings? A woman with not only physical scars, but emotional ones as well? Find out as they battle side by side to save the galaxy.
1. Exploding Beacons

Chapter 1: Exploding Beacons

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><p>The group of soldiers march past the dead husks and geth to the Prothean beacon. The leader, Commander Shepard gazes up into green glowing light that streams up into the clouded sky, her bright blue eyes examining the 50 century old technology. The two other squad members, Kaidan Alenko and Ashley Williams, walk up closer to the beacon to study it.<p>

"This is amazing. Actual working Prothean technology. Unbelievable!" Kaidan Alenko boasts.

"It wasn't doing anything like that when they dug it up." Ashley Williams replies, before walking even closer. "Something must have activated it." But as she steps closer towards the beacon, a strange force grabs a hold of her, pulling her even closer to the beacon. Shepard turns around as Kaidan approaches her, noticing the strange events and pushing him out of her way, charging to help Ashley. But as she reaches the solider, all the Commander can think of is throwing her as far as she can from the beacon. Ashley slams to the ground, rolling to the stop, and looking up to see the Commander lifted up into the air by an invisible force. She reaches out to the leader, but is held back by Kaidan. "No, don't touch her! It's too dangerous."

The solider bites her lip as the Commander is held in the air for a minute, before falling to the ground with a loud thud. She lies there motionless on the ground, not moving. Filled with concern, Ashley pushes Kaidan away from her, and rushes to Shepard's side. "Shepard?"


	2. Fake Hangovers

Chapter 2: Fake Hangovers

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><p>The sound of hurried boots thunder from the hallway towards the sick bay. Two full-armoured soldiers come marching into the room, carrying another person between the two of them.<p>

"Doctor Chakwas! Commander Shepard!" The first solider announces, helping to lay the person down on one of the bed, the doctor rushing over to examine the Commander. The solider, Kaidan Alenko lifts off his helmet to catch his breath, sweat rolling down his tan face.

Ashley Williams, the other solider, tosses off her helmet onto the spare medical bed, walking to the opposite side of Doctor Chakwas. Watching the Commander with concern, she plays with her fingers, feeling useless in the situation. "She is going to be alright, Doctor?"

Pulling up the eyelids to study the Commander's eyes, Doctor Chakwas flashes a light in the woman's eyes, the neutral expression on her face never changing. "Hmm… I believe that she will be alright. She has a concussion, and will have some minor swelling as well." Walking over to her desk, she picks up a data pad, and starts punching info into the computer. "As far as I can tell, Commander Shepard is going to be fine. We just have to wait for her to wake up."

The female solider smiles nervously, still looking down at the injured commander. "Thank you, Doctor." Kaidan gently pats the solider on the shoulder, smiling warmly down at her. "Come on. We need to report to the Captain Anderson about what happened." Hesitant to get up, Ashley nods slowly. "Yeah... Okay." Grabbing the scratched up helmet from the bed, Ashley walks out of the room with Kaidan, looking over her shoulder to get a glance at Shepard before she leaves her vision, disappearing as the door automatically close.

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><p>A splitting pain erupts from her head as Shepard begins to open her eyes, the lights blinding, making her more careful as she slowly opens her eyes once more. A familiar voice comes from her side, sounding blurry as she continues to try to regain her senses.<p>

"Doctor? Doctor Chakwas? I think she is waking up!"

Using her elbows to push herself up into a sitting position, the Commander looks around herself, noticing the room as the sick bay, sighing heavily in her head. "Damn…" She reaches up, gently rubbing her head as it throbs in pain.

Doctor Chakwas strolls up to the Commander, a slight smile to her face. "Well, Shepard. Good to see you awake. How are you feeling?"

Shepard continues rubbing her head, her eyes closed tightly. "Uh… Like the first morning after shore leave. What happened and how long was I out?"

Opening her eyes, Ashley walks into her line of vision. "It's my fault, Commander. I must have activated some kind of security field, and the beacon exploded, knocking you out. You were out for about 15 hours."

Shepard shakes her head, cracking a smirk. "Don't worry about it, Williams. You had no way of knowing what would happen. "

Ashley blushes lightly, smiling. Doctor Chakwas steps closer, grabbing the Commander's attention as she reviews the info on her data pad. "We may never know. But what concerns me is that abnormal brain beta waves, and rapid eye movements. It's normally associated with intense dreaming."

"I did have… a very weird dream, or vision. A total nightmare. People getting slaughtered by geth or something." Shepard replies, shaking her head as she tries to forget the nightmare.

Ashley frowns, a expression of worry of her face as she reads the Commander's face.

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><p>After a long discussion with the Captain about the vision and heading to the Citadel to talk with the Council, Shepard steps boldly out the sick bay. Ashley Williams marches up to the Commander, a small smile to her face.<p>

"Glad to see you are alright, Commander. If you weren't going to be okay, I would feel so guilty." The solider frowns as she speaks her mind, Shepard cracking a smile, before patting her on the head.

"No worries, Gunnery Chief. It'll take more then a small explosion to take this solider down." She lets out a laugh, smiling brightly.

The sudden burst of laughter catches Ashley off-guard, making her take a few steps back. "Commander, Are you… okay?"


	3. Coffee Break

_**Sorry for such a short chapter.** _

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><p>Chapter 3: Coffee Break<p>

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><p>Shepard plops onto the couch in the Human Embassy's office, sighing heavily. "I feel like an errand boy, or something. I mean going around the entire citadel to find three different people. Sounds like a lot of effort. "<p>

Both Ashley and Kaidan look at their leader, confused expressions on their faces.

Ashley replies, "But Commander, if we don't stop Saren, humanity might be lost."

The Commander rolls over on to her side, her back facing the two soldiers. "I know, I know. Just seems like… a lot of work."

The Alliance soldier rolls her eyes, marching over Shepard. Reaching out, she grabs onto the collar of the woman's armour, dragging her off the couch, throwing her to the floor. "Stop complaining, you baby. Get off your lazy ass, and help us catch his bastard."

Shepard rubs the back of her head, looking up at Ashley. But upon looking at Ashley's' slightly pouted face, the Commander cracks a smile, bursting out laughing.

Ashley looks back at Kaidan. "She's crazy, right? It's not just me?"

"Yeah. She's a little different. That's for sure." Kaidan replies.

The Commander gets onto her feet, catching her breathe as her laughter dies. "Don't be mean… I might not be strict, or rough like other commanders in the Alliance Fleet, but does that make me mean?" Shepard pouts, her bottom lip sticking out.

Ashley frowns, shaking her head. "Sorry… I didn't mean to offend-"She is cut off by Shepard.

"Plus, seeing your expression when you're irritated is very cute." The Commander's smile goes brighter, causing Ashley to blush deeply.

Clapping her hands together, Commander Shepard marches over to the Ambassador's desk, taking a big gulp of coffee from the cup on the desk. After letting out a loud sigh, she turns around, facing both soldiers. "Let get to it, huh?"


End file.
